IMF sees Burundi's 2013 GDP up 4.5 pct, below government forecast

BUJUMBURA (Reuters) - Burundi's economy could grow 4.5 percent in 2013 thanks to good harvests and infrastructure projects, the International Monetary Fund said, giving an estimate below the government's own.

Burundi's latest forecast in December projects growth will accelerate to 6.6 percent from an estimated 4.7 percent in 2012, though economists have said the landlocked economy can only grow if inflation is kept under control and the currency stabilised.

The IMF gave no new figure of its own for 2012 GDP growth, which in February it estimated at 4 pct.

The IMF said lower food and oil prices should improve the inflationary outlook. However, year-on-year inflation in the coffee-producing country jumped to 8.2 percent in the year to May from 3.0 percent in April as local food prices rose sharply.